Is Cambodia Tour Cheaper than Vietnam Tour? Cambodia and Vietnam Tour Cost

Cambodia and Vietnam are amazing travel destinations in Indochina for inquisitive travelers. Filled with amazing temples, wondrous sights, and some of Asia’s most stunning landscapes, both Cambodia and Vietnam are well worth the trip. And while the average cost of a tour in Cambodia is somewhat cheaper than in Vietnam, there are plenty of reasons to choose either tour.

Cost of Top Things to Do in Cambodia and Vietnam

Prices of Top Things to Do in Cambodia

Angkor Archaeological Park is an awesome trip to see a plethora of temples, and you can get some great sunrise can sunset photos there. And for the price of Angkor Pass - US$ 37 for a 1-day pass; US$ 62 for the 3-day pass; and US$ 72 for the 7-day pass - it is well worth visiting.

Taking a Phnom Penh sightseeing tour is also a great experience, and they can be done for as little as $49 per person. Or how about a beautiful Mekong River sunset tour for just 28 dollars, since the longer 4-5 day river cruise costs several hundred dollars per person. If you want to visit Tonle Sap, tours run to there from Siem Reap for just $24 for a half day tour with boat trip to the floating markets on the lake. And you can spend the day on a beach in Sihanoukville for as little as nothing, though accommodation will start from around $10 per night.

Prices of Top Things to Do in Vietnam

In Vietnam, a Halong Bay cruise around the amazing karst formations for the day and night costs just US$125 per person, and you can take a one-day Mekong Cruise along the famous river for just 18 dollars. Or if you like city sightseeing tours, you can take the hop-on-hop-off bus tour of Hanoi for as little as 14 dollars, of just 17 dollars for the same in Ho Chi Minh City.

Cruising in Halong Bay

Vietnam’s beaches are world-renowned, and most of them are free to use, though some have fees which provide small perks like loungers, umbrellas, etc. The main cost of staying near the beaches is the hotel, but from Vung Tao to Ha Long, you can find decent accommodation for around 5-10 dollars.

Cost of Transportation in Cambodia and Vietnam

How much does it cost to travel around Cambodia?

Domestic flights in Cambodia can be booked for relatively low prices, which makes it a cheap and fast means of travel. With flights from 99 dollars between Phnom Penh and Siem Reap, it is definitely value for money.

Buses are the cheapest form of transport in Cambodia, and you can get the overnight bus from Phnom Penh to Siem Reap to Visit Angkor for as little as 10-15 dollars, though it is a 6-8 hour trip.

In Cambodia, car hire is rather expensive, and to hire a car for one day to take you from Phnom Penh to Siem Read would cost you somewhere in the region of US$ 350.

How much does it cost to travel around Vietnam?

In Vietnam, domestic flights cost from around 33 dollars per person to travel from Saigon to Hanoi, so really do make the trip by flight worth taking. And since it is only a 2 hour 10 minute flight, you can be in Hanoi before lunch.

Buses do run regularly in Vietnam, and the 34-hour bus trip from Ho Chi Minh to Hanoi would normally cost from 35-70 US dollars per person.

Taking bus between Ho Chi Minh City to Hanoi is one of the economic Ways.

The train is the cheapest form of transport for traveling any distance in Vietnam, as the country has a relatively good rail network that covers the entire country. It will still take 36 hours to get from Saigon to Hanoi, since there are no bullet trains yet. But when it only costs from US$27 per person by train, and you get to watch the countryside roll by, it is worth taking the time if you are not in any rush.

Cost of Accommodation in Cambodia and Vietnam

Cost of Hotels and Hostels for Solo Travelers

If you are traveling to Cambodia and Vietan alone or on a budget, both Cambodia and Vietnam have good hotel and hostel options for solo travelers. The cost does depend on the location you are staying in, with Phnom Penh hostels from as little as $5, Siem Reap around 5-6 dollars, Kampot from just four bucks, and even Koh Rong only costing from around nine dollars per person per night.

In comparison, Vietnam is almost the same, with hostels in Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh costing from as little as US$ 6.00, Hoi An from as little as five dollars, Da Lat from around three dollars, and Hue from around seven dollars.

Cost of Standard Room and Family Room

For standard hotel rooms in Cambodia, you can pay from around 7-15 dollars a night for a couple and a couple of dollars more for twin beds. And for families with two adults and two kids, you can expect to pay from around 15 to 20 dollars per night for the whole family, depending on the location. In Siem Reap and Phnom Penh, 25 dollars and up is average, thought there are cheaper, while in Battambang you can pay as little as 18 dollars per room per night.

In Vietnam, Cheaper family accommodation can cost from as little as 8-12 dollars for a couple in Hanoi or Hoi An, or from around 14 dollars per room per night in Saigon. For families with two kids, a room rate applies of around 15 dollars per night in Da Nang, and 18 dollars in Hanoi. In Ho Chi Minh City, expect to pay from around just 17 dollars per night for the entire room. In comparison, Vietnam is not really much more expensive that Cambodia if you are prepared to search a little.

Cost of Food and Drinks in Cambodia and Vietnam

Cost of Dining in Cambodia

Where food costs are concerned, Cambodia is cheaper than Vietnam for some things, and more for others, so on average it is about the same. An average restaurant meal can cost as little as $2.50, and a normal cheeseburger will cost from $1.80. Soft drinks cost from 75 cents a can/bottle, and a cappuccino costs around $2.20. On average, at ten dollars a day, it can be slightly cheaper to eat in Cambodia than Vietnam.

Cost of Dining in Vietnam

Food in Vietnam is not that expensive, and the general cost of an average meal in a decent restaurant starts at around 6-7 dollars, while a simple burger costs from just $1.50, soft drinks cost around 80 cents, and a decent cappuccino can cost just $1.75. On average, for a budget traveler, you can expect to be able to spend as little as 12 dollars a day on food.

It's easy to find delicious street food in Vietnam.

Other Traveling Cost in Cambodia and Vietnam

Cost of Visa in Cambodia and Vietnam

A Cambodia visa costs from 30-36 dollars, depending on which visa application process you use, while the Vietnam visa costs from 17 dollars to around 25 dollars.

Cost of International Flight to Cambodia and Vietnam

Depending on where you are coming from the cost of an international flight may differ greatly. For example, a flight from London to Saigon costs around 611 US dollars, while the same route to Phnom Penh from London costs around 738 US dollars.

Cost of Tipping in Cambodia and Vietnam

Since tipping is not expected in Asia, anything you give is appreciated, especially by low-paid service workers. Bills in restaurants also don’t carry an automatic service charge, so feel free to tip if you wish to.

Cost of Local SIM card (for mobile internet) in Cambodia and Vietnam

It is useful to get a local SIM card when traveling. In Vietnam, you can get a pre-paid SIM with data packages for as little as $2.50 and data from around 22 cents per GB.

In Cambodia, a pre-paid SIM card costs around a dollar, so much cheaper, though at 42 cents per GB, the data cost is a little higher.

Conclusion

In general, there is very little difference between costs in Vietnam and Cambodia, depending on how you want to travel. On a budget, the costs are comparable, with Vietnam maybe being a little more costly, but only by a small margin. And even when considering more costly options, the difference between costs in Vietnam and Cambodia is really not as much as people think.

To make your trip to Cambodia and Vietnam more hassle-free, we can help you customize your own trip according to your interests and budget. Just feel free to contact us now!